by Aimee Carter
The hotel sat at the base of one of the smaller mountains, and the winding road was lined with cacti and exotic trees. Rather than drive up to the front entrance, Ariana parked the car in one of the shaded corners, and the four of them piled out.
“Hotel valets are supposed to park for us,” said Winter as she tested the gravel drive.
“Yeah, but how do you think they’re going to react when they see me behind the wheel instead of an adult?” said Ariana. “Gas station attendants might not pay much attention, but the hotel staff will. Now stop whining and start walking. It isn’t far.”
Together they headed up the path to the glowing entrance, and Simon swallowed his anger and nerves. His friends were only looking out for their loved ones, and he couldn’t blame them for that. He glanced around, taking in the strange flora around them. Even though the sun had already set, it was too warm for a sweatshirt, and as they passed a fountain in the middle of the circular drive, Simon dropped his backpack and paused long enough to pull his hoodie off. As he ran his fingers through his hair to comb it back into place, his gaze fell on the statue.
The statue looked back.
“Whoa.” Simon jumped, nearly tripping over Jam in the process.
“What?” he said, catching Simon with surprising strength. “Did you see something?”
Simon took a tentative step closer to the fountain. Two stone snakes wrapped around a flowering cactus, and water spouted from their mouths. But that wasn’t what had startled Simon. Instead, a lizard perched on the end of one of the stone snakes, the light reflecting in its tiny black eyes.
“Here to see the council?” said the lizard in a funny accent. Australian, Simon thought.
“Uh—yeah,” he said. “How did you know?”
“Because you’re talking back.” The lizard flashed him a grin. “I’m Ronnie. Ronnie the dragon.”
“You don’t look like much of a dragon,” said Winter, eyeing him. Ronnie sniffed indignantly, and Simon could’ve sworn the underside of his throat turned black.
“And you don’t look like much of a human,” he said. “I’m a bearded dragon. Much better than an imaginary one. Room for four? Animalgams get discounts.”
Simon looked at Ariana, who shook her head. They didn’t have enough money left to afford a room at this place, even with a discount.
“That won’t be necessary,” said Winter, who looked down her nose at the dragon, clearly not impressed with him. “I’m Councilman Rivera’s granddaughter. He’s not expecting me, but I’m sure if you let him know I’m here—”
“Rivera?” Ronnie scoffed. “Rivera doesn’t have any grandchildren.”
Winter leaned in. “Are you sure about that? Do I need to prove how venomous I am?”
The pupils in her green eyes turned to slits, and she hissed threateningly. Ronnie leaped backward, falling into the fountain and splashing around.
“R-right—Rivera—of course. I see the resemblance now.” Ronnie gulped as he scrambled out of the water. “If—if you’ll follow me—”
Winter straightened. “Thank you, Ronnie. I’m sure my grandfather will be extremely grateful.”
The dragon hopped off the fountain and led them toward a door to the left of the main entrance. It blended in with the wall and, as they grew closer, Simon saw it was marked private.
“The hotel is of course open to guests of all backgrounds,” said Ronnie, his voice trembling as he nosed a button nearly hidden among the brush, and the door swung open. “But this is the council’s private wing, reserved for family and members of the kingdom. You are members of the kingdom, aren’t you?” Suddenly the tremor in his voice was gone as he looked Simon, Ariana, and Jam up and down.
“They’re my friends,” said Winter. “That should be more than enough.”
Ronnie grumbled, but he darted through the doorway and led them inside without further comment. Simon only hoped Winter was right; he had never considered the possibility that Rivera might kick them out for being the wrong kind of Animalgam.
The inside of the hotel was more magnificent than Simon could’ve imagined. The walls of the private lobby were covered by artwork in lavish gold frames, crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling, and overstuffed leather armchairs and sofas sat every few feet. Soft classical music played over the speakers, and the handful of people loitering around, speaking quietly in groups or admiring the paintings, all seemed relaxed and at ease. It was nothing like the bustle of New York.
None of the other guests paid any attention to Simon and his friends following a bearded dragon across the gleaming hardwood floor. In fact, when Simon peeked over his shoulder, he spotted a trio of iguanas on the sofa, their heads bent in whispered conversation.
“The official tour will have to wait, but this is where you’ll find the spa, the music gallery, and of course the sunroom,” said Ronnie as he led the way past the elevators and down a long hallway covered in even more artwork.
“Whoa, is that real?” said Jam, stopping in front of a painting of a woman holding a baby.
“Every piece in our collection is the original, though some have been painstakingly restored,” said Ronnie proudly. “Down here, you have our library—it’s the biggest room in the wing.”
Simon couldn’t resist cracking open the door and poking his head inside. His mouth formed an O. The library rose five stories, with row after row full of books he was itching to explore, and a large window looked out on the starry sky.
“You’re welcome to browse when we’re not in a rush,” called Ronnie, and Simon reluctantly closed the door and hurried to catch up with them. “We have a theater in the wing as well, complete with a variety of nightly performances.”
As they headed down the hallway, Winter’s expression remained blank. Simon knew it was all a front. He might not have known Winter very long, but he was absolutely certain that this place was nothing short of paradise to her. He didn’t understand why she was pretending she didn’t love it, but judging by the way Ariana was also watching Winter suspiciously, she wasn’t fooled, either.
Finally they reached another doorway at the end of the corridor, and Ronnie cleared his throat. “If one of you wouldn’t mind . . . short legs, you see . . .”
Simon pushed open the double wooden doors, revealing a large room with mirrors for walls, making it look like it reflected in on itself again and again. A blast of sweltering heat hit Simon, and he pushed his hair from his forehead, grateful he’d taken off his sweatshirt earlier. In the center of the room, a white marble serpent rose at least ten feet, and smaller marble vipers gathered at the base almost reverently. Focused on the glinting black eyes of the statue, Simon started forward, but before he could take more than a step, Ariana said, “Watch it!”
Simon looked down. A moat of sorts surrounded the room, with a short glass bridge the only way across. But the moat wasn’t filled with water. Instead, hundreds of snakes slithered over one another, their low voices joining together to form an almost hypnotic murmur. Vipers, cobras, coral snakes—every species Simon could name, and dozens more he couldn’t.
“They won’t bite so long as you don’t,” said Ronnie as he meandered across the bridge toward the statue. “Our snake pit is decorative, for the most part, but it serves as security to the council, too. Can’t be too careful, can you, mate?”
Simon followed, beads of sweat already forming at his temples. The bridge felt sturdy enough, but as Ariana and Jam walked across, Simon noticed both of them took very big steps. Winter, on the other hand, continued to look distinctly unimpressed.
“If you’ll wait here, I’ll let Councilman Rivera know he has—visitors,” said Ronnie, and he scampered away, leaving the four of them alone.
“If he’s an Animalgam, why doesn’t he just shift into a human to open doors? Wouldn’t that be easier?” said Simon.
“Plenty of Animalgams choose to live their lives as animals instead of humans,” said Jam, inspecting the statue. Ariana, in the meantime, got as fa
r from the pit of vipers as possible.
“Why would they do that?” said Simon, shoving his hands in his pockets. His fingers brushed up against the pocket watch that had once belonged to his father. It felt warmer than usual, though the room was boiling.
“They prefer their Animalgam form to their human one,” said Ariana with a shrug. “Just because you’d rather have two legs doesn’t mean everyone would.”
Before Simon could reply, the zipper of his backpack opened, and Felix climbed onto his shoulder. “That’s the ugliest statue I’ve ever seen,” said the mouse.
“Get back in my bag,” said Simon. “It isn’t safe.”
“If I wanted to be safe, I’d still be in front of that TV,” said Felix, and though he tried to sound tough about it, Simon could hear the wistfulness in his voice. He straightened his whiskers as he peered up at the marble. “Do you think that thing has any idea how hideous it is?”
“That ‘thing’ is the Kingsnake, the most feared and revered figure in our kingdom’s history.” A tall man stepped into the room. His black hair was tied into a short ponytail at the nape of his neck, and he moved gracefully, his hands clasped behind his back. “Though the Beast King hunted the Kingsnake Animalgams to extinction, we continue to honor our royal line’s legacy. Now, unless you are here to offer yourself as an evening snack to one of our honored guards, I must inform you we do not allow nonhuman mammals on our premises.”
“I’ll show you who the real snack is,” muttered Felix, the challenge in his voice at odds with the way he dived back into the bag.
Simon swung it around so he could pull the zipper closed. “He’s my friend, not a snack.”
“I’m afraid I see no real difference,” said the man. He eyed them all, his narrowed gaze lingering on Ariana’s purple hair.
Winter stepped between them, flipping her dark braid over her shoulder. “He’s my friend, so does that make a difference to you?”
Friend was a generous term to describe her prickly relationship with Felix, but Simon shot her a grateful look. She ignored him.
“That depends on who you are,” said the man, looking down his nose at her. If Simon hadn’t been sure who the man was before, he was now. The resemblance was uncanny.
Winter must have been certain, too, because she crossed her arms and glared at him. “I’m Winter. Your granddaughter.”
The Reptile Council
The change in Robert Rivera’s expression was immediate. His jaw went slack, and every trace of snobbery vanished. Moving forward with urgency he hadn’t shown before, he stopped inches in front of Winter, kneeling down to look her in the eye. “It can’t be.”
“Why not?” said Winter, annoyed. “You’ve been writing to me for years.”
“I thought—I thought Orion . . .” Rivera’s voice hitched, and tears sprang in his eyes. Wordlessly he embraced Winter, and much to Simon’s surprise, Winter hugged him back.
The seconds passed, and finally Winter said, “You don’t have to hold on so tight. I’m not going to disappear when you let go.”
Rivera reluctantly released her, though he set both hands on her cheeks and gazed into her eyes. “You look so much like your mother. I have missed her every day.”
“Me, too,” said Winter, quieter this time. She cleared her throat. “These are my friends. You’ve already met Felix, and this is Jam, Ariana, and—”
“Simon Thorn.” Rivera stood, setting his hand on Winter’s shoulder.
“How come everyone’s always heard of you?” said Jam, pushing his glasses up his nose. Simon shrugged.
“Just lucky, I guess.”
“Luck has nothing to do with it,” said Rivera. “Half the Animalgam world is on the hunt for you children. Malcolm Thorn mentioned you were heading this way, and he asked us to keep an eye open.”
Hope fluttered inside Simon. “You talked to Malcolm? When?”
“Earlier this afternoon,” said Rivera, and Simon exhaled sharply. So Malcolm was all right. He hadn’t been killed in the garage after all. “And you two . . .” Rivera turned to Jam and Ariana. “Your parents certainly aren’t happy with either of you for running away.”
Jam wrung his hands nervously. “The general’s probably furious. And your mother—”
“My mother knows I can handle myself,” muttered Ariana, inspecting the base of the statue. Rivera ignored them.
“I will inform the Alpha immediately,” he said with a flourish of his hand. “You will be safe here. In the meantime, I must call a council meeting—Ronnie.”
Ronnie the dragon plodded in front of him. “Yes, Your Honor?”
“Gather the others. We must discuss what to do at once.”
While Ronnie scurried off to gather the rest of the council, Rivera ushered them toward another doorway beyond the statue. “Come—the council won’t take long to arrive. Few of us ever go far beyond the hotel, and now even fewer still, with tensions being as they are.”
“Tensions?” said Simon as he followed Rivera and his friends into a smaller lavish chamber, complete with overflowing bookcases lining the walls and a round mahogany table with twelve seats that, to Simon, looked more like thrones than chairs.
“Oh, yes—nothing to worry about, always little spats going on between the kingdoms.” Rivera guided them to a row of plush sofas near the wall, close enough to hear what was going on at the table, but not close enough to distract or get involved. “Please, make yourselves comfortable. The council should be here shortly.”
While Simon, Jam, and Ariana sat together, Rivera steered Winter into another corner of the room and spoke to her in a low voice. From a distance, Simon couldn’t spot any trace of haughtiness or snobbery—instead, Rivera looked every inch the warm, doting grandfather. Winter, for her part, looked genuinely interested in her newfound family, but she held herself with the same stiffness that Simon recognized as uncertainty.
Soon enough, the rest of the council began to trickle in: men dressed in suits and women wrapped in silks, some as young as Simon’s mother, but most old enough to be his great-grandparents. Few of them spared Simon and his friends much more than a glance. Instead, they nearly all seemed focused on Rivera and Winter’s quiet conversation in the corner.
“Are we getting on with it or not? I’ve got an opera to catch,” said a man with a smattering of white hair left on his shiny scalp. He wore thick tortoiseshell glasses and leaned heavily on a cane, and the woman beside him pulled his seat out for him.
It was only because Simon looked immediately at Rivera that he spotted a flicker of annoyance crossing his face. When Simon blinked, it was gone. “Of course, Crocker,” said Rivera, and as the others took their seats, he led Winter to the council. “I would like to introduce you all to my granddaughter.”
The man with the cane—Crocker—peered at Winter. “You mean the mutt your daughter left with the birds?”
Simon bristled at the insult. Mutt was a terrible thing to call an Animalgam. He opened his mouth to protest, but Ariana wrapped her fingers around his wrist in a warning.
“Don’t,” she whispered, and Simon’s retort died on his tongue. She was right. They couldn’t afford to get kicked out now.
To his credit, Rivera scowled. “She is my Hybred granddaughter, yes. And she had the misfortune of being raised by a tyrant with feathers, but she has assured me—”
“I like Orion about as much as you do,” said Winter, raising her chin as if daring any of the men and women watching to question her. “He abandoned me when he found out I was a cottonmouth, and as soon as I could get away, I headed here. To my real home, to be with my real family.”
If Simon hadn’t spent the past two months witnessing firsthand exactly how much Winter loathed the idea of belonging to the reptile kingdom, he would have believed her. As it was, a murmur rippled through the council, but Crocker stood and fumbled with his cane. “If the only reason you interrupted my perfectly lovely evening was to flaunt your deviant gene pool, Rivera, then I have b
etter places to be.”
Several other members began to join him on their feet, one by one turning their attention away from Winter. Rivera’s jaw set, and the haughtiness he’d lost when it had been only the two of them came back full force, forming a smooth mask over any true emotions he might have had.
“That isn’t all,” he said, his voice rising above the hum of restarted conversations. “It seems my granddaughter brought her friends along with her—including Simon Thorn.”
The room went silent. Suddenly all eyes turned to the couch, and Simon clasped his hands together, his heart thundering at the unexpected attention.
“He’s the one without glasses,” said Rivera drolly. “I will be alerting the Alpha as soon as we adjourn.”
“Simon Thorn?” Crocker sat back down heavily, and others followed suit. “Son of Isabel and Luke Thorn?”
Nodding numbly, Simon said, “You know my mom?”
“We have become great friends over the years,” said Crocker. “She spoke of your brother often. I’m afraid she didn’t mention you, but considering we didn’t know you existed until September . . . well. What are you doing in Paradise Valley without her?”
Simon hesitated. He couldn’t tell the council the whole truth, not when news of Orion’s plans would undoubtedly spread throughout the five kingdoms and cause panic, but Simon couldn’t rescue his mother and find the piece of the Predator before Malcolm caught up with them. And if Crocker was a friend of his mother’s, then maybe that would be enough for the council to help without asking too many questions.
Climbing to his feet, Simon cleared his throat. “Orion kidnapped my mother, and they’re somewhere in Paradise Valley,” he said. “We knew Winter wanted to—come home, so we all decided to go together to try to find my mom.”
Shock spread through the room, and several members ducked their heads together in worried whispers. Even Rivera paled, but Crocker held Simon’s gaze, his expression never wavering. “You’re sure Orion has your mother?”
Simon nodded. “Positive. She’s been gone for two months.”
